The Town FilesCold Spring, Minnesota
City in Stearns County · population 4,164 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $280,400
- Household income
- $72,228
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 38.5
Cold Spring is a city of 4,164 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $280,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better transit than 88% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 84% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 75% of Minnesota towns.
How Cold Spring ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cold Spring is worth $280,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $72,228, which is more affordable than 26% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,424 a month. 66.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cold Spring | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $280,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,424 | $991 |
| Median household income | $72,228 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 66.5% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Cold Spring
| People | Cold Spring | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Cold Spring
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 3.8°F. About 31.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cold Spring since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 11, 2016 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on July 17, 2010.
Severe weather in Stearns County since 1996
Stearns County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Stearns County
Stearns County had 87,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,313 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Cold Spring itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Cold Spring
5 public schools with 2,105 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROCORI SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 861 | 16.9 |
| COLD SPRING ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 670 | 15.6 |
| ROCORI MIDDLE | 6-8 | 541 | 16.4 |
| ROCORI ALC | 7-12 | 21 | — |
| Grafton School | K-12 | 12 | 6.0 |
Towns near Cold Spring
- Wakefield, MN1.7 mi · 2,746 people · home $394,700
- Collegeville, MN6.4 mi · 3,344 people · home $468,600
- St. Joseph, MN9.6 mi · 7,029 people · home $237,700
- Waite Park, MN10.0 mi · 8,341 people · home $219,400
- St. Augusta, MN11.4 mi · 3,497 people · home $388,400
- St. Cloud, MN13.3 mi · 68,881 people · home $225,000
- Albany, MN13.3 mi · 2,780 people · home $238,500
- Sartell, MN15.2 mi · 19,351 people · home $297,300
Cold Spring questions
Is Cold Spring, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cold Spring scores better for retirees than 64% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 22%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.5).
How much does a house cost in Cold Spring?
The median owner-occupied home in Cold Spring is valued at $280,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,228, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,424 a month.
What is the weather like in Cold Spring?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 3.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.0 inches of precipitation a year and 57.4 inches of snow.
Does Cold Spring get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cold Spring since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 11, 2016. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)